Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



Patented @et 28, 1924.

ttl Militia@ s FFicE. f

Jorrit r. oooivnoa, or oirroaeo, rra-incas, nssrenon, Bruns-NEASSIGNMENTS, To

' w. n.. Minna, rnc., .a ooaronafrron onnnnawann. i Y

:salomon snfocnansonrsrne ivrscrranrsivr.

Application filed November 13, 1922. Serial No. 600,565.

To all whom z'z may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the coun-tyv of Cook and Stateof Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in FrictionShock-Absorbing Mechanisms, of which the following is full., clear,concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of thisspeciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbingmechanisms.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbingmechanism, especially adapted for railway draft riggings, wherein highcapacity is obtained by means of a pmesure-transmitting friction plungerand spring-influenced gripping elements cooperable therewith. L

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a mechanismof the type indicated wherein the spring resistance performs the doublefunction of directly resisting movement of the plunger during acompression stroke and also maintains the friction gripping elements intaut relation with the parts associated therewith.

Another specific object ofthe invention is to provide a mechanism of thefriction plunger type which is of compact form and in which largewearing areas 'on the gripping elements and friction plunger areobtained.

In the drawings forming a part ofthis specification, Figure 1 is ahorizontal longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a railway draftrigging showing my improve- -ments in connection therewith. y Figure 2'is a front end elevation of the shockabsorbing mechanism proper. Figure3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the shock absorbingmechanism proper corresponding to the line 3 3 of Figure 1. Figure is alongitudinally diagonal sectional view of the shock absorbingmechanismproper, corresponding to the line 4-11 of Figure 2.` And Figure5 is a detail perspective of Ione of the friction gripping elements.

In said drawings, 10-10 denotechannel draft sills of a car underframe,to the inner faces of which are secured front stop lugs 11A and rearstop lugs 12. A portiony of a.

drawbar is indicated at 13, the vsame be- .ing operatively connectedwith a hooded cast yoke 14 within which is disposed the shockabsorbingmechanism proper andr a front follower 15. The yokefand partstherewithiny are supported in operative position by 'a detachablesaddleplate 16.

The improved shock absorbing/mechanism proper, as shown,y comprises acontainer A; four frictionL gripping'elementsB4B;4 a friction plunger C;a spring resistancefD; a spring followerE; a hanger F; and aretainerbolt G. y

rThe container or shell A is ofrectangular cross section, having top andbottom walls `17-17, side walls! 18--l8, and integral rear wall 19, thelaftterrbeing suitably extended laterally and reinforced to adapt` it tofunction as the rear follower o-f the mechanism. At its forward or outerend, the shell Ais provided in each corner thereof with a plurality oflongitudinally separated inwardly extended enlargements 20-2O,k each ofwhich khas a wedge face 21 thereon and 'a rearwardly facing transverseshoulder 22. The planes of the wedge rfaces 21 extend at right angles tothe diagonals ofthe'shell, as will be clear fro-man inspection ofFigures 2 and 4 `and preferably'k there are tw'osuch wedge faces 2.1 ineach corner.

The frictionfplunger C is centrally disposed within theshell A and is ofsquare cross section, as best indicated in Figures 2,'and 3, therebyproviding four longitudinally extending flatffriction surfaces 23-23which are converged slightly inwardly of the shell. The plunger C isturned thru Aan angle of 45 withirespect to the square shell, `that is,a kdiagonal of the plunger will intersect a diagonal of the shell at anangle I of 11,50 as clearly shown in Figure 3.' This serves tov bringthe friction faces 23 of the plunger oppositethe wedge faces 21 of theshell.

The gripping elements B, four in number, are of like construction, eachhaving an inner flat friction surface 24 cooperable with one of theycorresponding `friction surfaces 23 of theiplunger C. On its outerside, each gripping "element B is formedv with two extensions25e-'25,"lo-ngitudinally separated, each extension having an inclinedwedge facev 26v cooperable with Aonel of the correspondingshe'll wedgefaces 21, as shown Figure la The extensions 25a'lso provide' forwardlyfacing transversely extending shoulders 27, so spaced longitudinallythat there is left an appreciable clearance as indicated at 23 betweenthe innermost shoulder 27 of each gripping element and the correspondingadjacent rearwardly facing saoulder 22 of the shell. At its inner end,each element B is provided with. a laterally ei;- te-nded arcuate flange29 between which and the nearest extension is formed an arcuate surface30, to accommodate the attaching iiangeof-the hanger l?, hereinafterspecific-ally described. ,As clearly shown in Figure 4, the front endsof the gripping elements .B are normally disposed inwardly of the: outerend of the shell il so as to allow 4for a slight forward or differentialmovefour gripping elements B. The said linner wall 3l of the hanger orcage F is apertured Vas indicated at 33 to adapt it to loosely lit overthe hollow boss 34 formed integral with the inner wall 19 of theshell AfIt will be noted that the inner wall 3l of the hanger F is normallyspaced from the wall i9 of the shell A. v

They spring D, as shown, consists of an outer relatively heavy coil 35and a nested inner lighter coil 36. Both of said coils 35 and 36 bear,at their front ends, upon the spring follower E which in turn bea-rsupon the inner end of the plunger C. The outer coil 35 bears at itsinner end upon the wall 3l of the hanger F whereas t-hel inner coil 36bears at its inner end upon the boss 34 of the shell A, as fully shownin Figure 1.

The retainer bolt Cr is anchored at its inner end within the said hollowboss 34 and at its forward end within a suitable recess provided in theplunger C, the latter and the follower E being suitably apertured toaccommodate the shank of the bolt.

The operation of the mechanism, assuming a compression stroke underbuff, is as follows. As the drawbar and front follower 15 move inwardly,the plunger C travels longitudinally in unison t-herewith. This movementof the plunger C is directly resisted by the inner coil 36 of the springresistance. ln addition, the movement of the plunger is frictionallyresisted by the gripping elements B which are constantly urged inwardlyofthe shell under the influence of theouter coil k35 of the spring redsistance, which exerts its tension upon the elements B through thehanger or cage F. There will also be the additional resistance affordedby said outer coil 35 acting directly upon the plunger C. Due to thetaper of the plunger C, a slight differential action will taire placewhich is accommodated by combined outward radial and forward or reversemovement of the gripping elements ln this connection, it will beobserved that the effective action of the gripping elements B will beproportional to the compression of the coil 35 which in turn isproportional to the movement of the plunger C. Upon discontinuance ofthe actuating force, it will be seen that the stored up energy in theinner coil 35 is immediately available to project the plunger Coutwardlykof the shell and should' the gripping` elements stick or amwith respect thereto, this same capacity is available, initially, toproject the entire system of friction elements, outer coil and hangerl?, in a similar direction, inasmuchas the inner coil 36 reacts betweensaid system of friction elements and the shell A. llith thisarrangement, comparatively blunt angles may be employed on the sets ofwedge faces 2l and 26 to facilitate release without militating againstthe desired high frictional capacity. v

From the preceding description, considered in connection with thedrawings, it will be seen that l: have lprovided a very compactarrangement with a large amount of frictional wearing areas, the latterresulting principally from the fact that the gripping elements arearranged in the corners of the shell, thereby permitting the plunger tobe made square and turned through an angle of o with respect to theshell, as previously described'. u

.ln assembling the mechanism, the hanger F will lirstbe placed withinthe shell A; the two coils of the spring resistance are then inserted;next the follower E; the four gripping elements will then be lhookedbeneath the flange 32 of the hanger' l, the plunger C will neXt bekinserted between the f -nr gripping elements; and finally the retainerbolt will be applied to place the springs under initial compression andalso to hold all of the parts in assembled relation.

l have herein shown and described what l now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out theI invention, but the same is merelyillustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that comewithin the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claim: f

l. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism. the combination with ashell; of a plurality of friction gripping elements having wedgeengagfgement with the shell; a pressuretransmitting friction plungerinterposed between and cooperable with 'said gripping elements; a springinterposed between said plunger and the shell; a second spring arrangedat one end to. directly resist movement of said plunger relativelyto theshell; and means interposed between the opposite end of said last namedspring and the gripping elements, arranged to `normally urge thegripping elements against the plunger.

2. ln a friction shock absorbing mecha.- nism, the combination with ashell; of a plurality of friction gripping elements having wedgeengagement with the shell; a preseme-transmitting friction plungerinterposed between and cooperable with said gripping elements; a springinterposed between said plunger and the shell; a second spring arrangedat one end to directly resist movement of said plunger relatively to theshell; and means interposed between the opposite end of said last:namedl spring and the gripping elements, arranged to normally urge thegripping elements against the plunger, said last named means comprising,a hanger having shouldered engagement with the gripping elements at oneof its endsand upon which the second named spring bears at its otherend.

8. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a shellof rectangular cross section having wedge faces in i the corners thereofinclined toward the axis and inner end of the shell; four frictiongripping elements having wedge faces cooperating with said shell wedgefaces7 said gripping elements being disposed in the corners of the shelland providing, on their sides nearest the axis of the shell, fourlongitudinally extending friction surfaces arranged in rectangularformation and angularlv offset 45 with respect to the four sides of theshell; a pressure-transinitting friction plunger of rectangular crosssection having four friction surfaces cooperable withy the said frictionsurfaces of said gripping elements; and a spring resistance.

1l. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with ashell of rectangular cross section having wedge faces in the cornersthereof inclined toward the axis and inner end of the shell; fourfriction gripping elements having wedge faces cooperating with the wedgefaces of the shell, said gripping elements being disposed in the cornersof the shell and providing, on their sides nearest the axis of theshell; four longitudinally` extending friction surfaces arranged inrectangular formation and angulai'ly offset 15 with respect to the four`sides of the shell; a pressure-transmitting friction plunger ofrectangular crosssection having four friction surfaces cooperabley withthe said friction surfaces of said gripping elements; a springresistance; and

means interposedbetween said spring resistance and said grippingelements normally urging theflatter inwardly against the frictionplunger. i f

v 5. iny a friction shock absorbing mecharnisiiny thecombination with ashellofrectangulai' kcross section having wedge faces in Lthe `cornersthereof inclined towardthe axis sides nearest the axis'of the shell,four longitudinally extending friction surfaces arranged in rectangularformation and angularly offset 45o with respect to the four sides of theshell; a. pressure-transmitting friction plunger of rectangular crosssection having four friction surfaces coo-perable with the said frictionsurfaces of said gripping elements; a spring resistance; and meansy.interposed between said spring resistance and said gripping elementsnormally urging the latter inwardly against the friction plunger7 saidmeans comprising a hanger having shouldered engagment with said grippingelements.' y

y 6. In a friction shoclrfabsorbing mechanismia the combination with ashell having wedge faces on the interior thereof; a plurality offriction gripping elements having wedge faces cooperating with the wedgefaces of the shell; a pressure-transmitting friction plunger interposedbetween and cooperating with said elements; a spring interposed betweenthe inner end of said plunger and the shell; a second spring arranged tohave one end thereof resist relative movement between the plunger andthe shell; means interposed between the other end of saidlast namedspring and the gripping elements adapted to normally urge the latterinwardly against the plunger, said second named spring and meansfloating with respect to the shell; and means for retaining saidsprings. f gripping elements and plunger in assembled relation with theshell. i 7. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combinationwith a shell; offriction gripping relements having` wedge engagementwith the shell; a pressure-transmitting friction yplunger cooperablewith said gripping elements; a spring resistance for said plunger; meansinterposed between nism, .the combination. with a shell having wedgefaces on the'interiorr thereof; of a pluralityof friction grippingelements having wedge faces 'cooperating withl the wedge faces of theshell; a pressure-transmitting friction plunger interposed between andC0- operable with said gripping elements; a spring resistance coaotingwith said lplunger at one end; menne interposed between the `oppositeend of seid spring resistance and said gripping elements arranged tourge the latter inwardly of the shell; and means anchored to the shellfor limiting the out- Ward movement of said plunger Wit-li refer- 10ence to the shell. f

In Witness that l claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed mynaine this 25th day oi October, 1922.

, JOHN F. OCQNNOR.

Witnesses z FRANCES SAVAGE',

H. M. BEAMER.

